This hearty Guinness Beef Stew is filled with tender vegetables and melt-in-your-mouth beef in a rich and flavorful tomato beef broth. Learn how to make this Irish stew three ways – Stove top, Instant Pot, and slow cooker.
If you’re craving something warm and comforting, you’re in for a treat because this Guinness beef stew is smackingly delicious. The depth of flavor is incredible! Pure comfort food and a perfect Saint Patrick’s dinner or filling meal any time. Start the meal with Caprese salad and end it with mini cheesecakes for desserts.
The ingredients for bacon beef stew
This Irish beef stew is a simple, flavorful beef stew, and here’s a list of ingredients you need.
- Beef. I recommend using grass-fed chuck roast or short ribs
- Guinness, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce. You can use Stout Guinness or Draught Guinness
- Garlic and onion to enhance the taste of the beef stew
- Bacon for a smoky, salty flavor
- Flour to thicken the broth
- Vegetables, such as carrots or parsnips, celery, potatoes
- Bay leaves and thyme for delicious herby flavors
- Olive oil and butter to brown the meat
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How to make Guinness stew
Stove top version
- In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat until desired crispness; remove and set aside
- Season beef with salt and pepper
- Add olive oil to Dutch oven and brown the beef; remove and set aside
- Add butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes
- Add in flour and whisk to make a roux; cook for 1 minute
- Pour in Guinness and whisk until there are no more lumps
- Add tomato paste, chicken stock, carrots or parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme, stir to combine
- Return beef, potatoes, and bacon to the pot
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for up to 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened to a loose gravy and vegetables are fork tender
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, remove bay leaves and enjoy
Instant-pot version
- Press sauté. When the Instant Pot reads “Hot,” cook bacon until desired crispness; remove and set aside.
- Season beef with salt and pepper. Brown the beef; remove and set aside.
- Add olive oil to Dutch oven and brown the beef; remove and set aside
- Add butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Press cancel.
- Pour in Guinness and whisk until there are no more lumps
- Add tomato paste, chicken stock, carrots or parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme, stir to combine
- Return beef, potatoes, and bacon to the pot
- Close and lock the lid. Be sure that the pressure release valve is set to sealing.
- Cook on manual high pressure and adjust the cooking time to 25 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the flour and broth to make a roux.
- Turn the pressure release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure—press sauté.
- Stir in the flour mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Season with additional salt and additional pepper as needed.
Slow-cooker version
- Cook bacon over medium-high heat until desired crispness; remove and set aside
- Coat the beef pieces with salt, pepper, and flour. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large skillet/frying pan and brown the meat on all sides (about 4-5 minutes) before transferring it into the slow cooker.
- Heat the rest of the oil in the same skillet/frying pan and sauté the celery and onion for about 3–4 minutes. Then stir in minced garlic and sauté for a further minute. Turn off the heat and transfer the sautéed veggies into the slow cooker.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and give everything a good mix before covering with a lid.
- Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 7-8 hours.
- Season with additional salt and additional pepper as needed.
Key ingredients
- Always buy good and fresh ingredients
- Browning the beef and bacon before adding all other ingredients is key!
- I recommend using red potatoes or small potatoes
Variations in making Irish stew
- Use beef broth if you don’t have beef stock. Beef broth uses meat, while stock uses bones. Hence, beef broth has very little protein
- Serve this beef stew over creamy mashed potatoes instead of adding potatoes
- Replace Guinness with red wine for a similar depth of flavors
- Sprinkle some crispy onion on top of this stew for extra crunch
Storing leftover Guinness stew
You can make this beef stew ahead. If you want to make it the day before, cook, cool, cover, and refrigerate. Then reheat until piping hot the next day.
- Leftovers: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Allow the stew to cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe ziplock bags or containers (Leave a 1/4-inch gap in the container to allow for expansion). Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to serve with Guinness beef stew
I like to serve this Irish stew with warm biscuits or crusty bread. I also love adding a light side salad for extra greens as an appetizer.
This rich and robust Irish Beef with Guinness Stew will make your taste buds sing and have you begging for seconds!
Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½-2 ½ pounds grass-fed chuck roast
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup yellow onion
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 11.2 oz bottle Guinness
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups beef stock
- 3 carrots or parsnips chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 3 cups potatoes peeled and chopped
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Stove top version
- In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat until desired crispness; remove and set aside
- Season beef with salt and pepper
- Add olive oil to Dutch oven and brown the beef; remove and set aside
- Add butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes
- Add in flour and whisk to make a roux; cook for 1 minute
- Pour in Guinness and whisk until there are no more lumps
- Add tomato paste, chicken stock, carrots or parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme, stir to combine
- Return beef, potatoes, and bacon to the pot
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for up to 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened to a loose gravy and vegetables are fork tender
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, remove bay leaves and enjoy
Instant-pot version
- Press sauté. When the Instant Pot reads “Hot,” cook bacon until desired crispness; remove and set aside.
- Season beef with salt and pepper. Brown the beef; remove and set aside.
- Add olive oil to Dutch oven and brown the beef; remove and set aside
- Add butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Press cancel.
- Pour in Guinness and whisk until there are no more lumps
- Add tomato paste, chicken stock, carrots or parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme, stir to combine
- Return beef, potatoes, and bacon to the pot
- Close and lock the lid. Be sure that the pressure release valve is set to sealing.
- Cook on manual high pressure and adjust the cooking time to 25 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the flour and broth to make a roux.
- Turn the pressure release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure—press sauté.
- Stir in the flour mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Season with additional salt and additional pepper as needed.
Slow-cooker version
- Cook bacon over medium-high heat until desired crispness; remove and set aside
- Coat the beef pieces with salt, pepper, and flour. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large skillet/frying pan and brown the meat on all sides (about 4-5 minutes) before transferring it into the slow cooker.
- Heat the rest of the oil in the same skillet/frying pan and sauté the celery and onion for about 3–4 minutes. Then stir in minced garlic and sauté for a further minute. Turn off the heat and transfer the sautéed veggies into the slow cooker.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and give everything a good mix before covering with a lid.
- Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or on LOW for 7-8 hours.
- Season with additional salt and additional pepper as needed.
Jacqueline Debono says
This is a super beef stew recipe that I’m going to be remaking time and again. Although it takes a little time, it’s so easy to make and very hearty and filling!
DK Park says
I made this recipe and it was a hit. It is so easy to make and delicious!
Elizabeth says
SO hearty and full of flavor! Thanks for the recipe!
Lathiya says
The beef stew tasted amazing, full of flavors. I loved the Instant pot version.